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FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman had to make several critical decisions in Saturday’s game against Auburn.
Unfortunately for him and the Razorbacks, all of them backfired and resulted in a disappointing 38-23 loss to the Tigers in front of their home crowd.
“It seemed like everything I was calling or chance I was taking - tried to kick it, didn't make it, tried to go for it, didn't make it,” Pittman said. “It seemed like it wasn't going our way today on some of those.”
One of those decisions came after Dominique Johnson scored on a 10-yard run on the final play of the third quarter. Instead of kicking an extra point, Pittman opted to go for two in an effort to make it 28-25.
However, KJ Jefferson’s pass to Treylon Burks on a slant route fell incomplete and the score stayed at 28-23.
“Basically, I thought maybe we could get it to a field goal and tie the game if we make this two-point,” Pittman said. “The chart says to go for it, go for two. I thought it was worth the chance to take to get within three at that point in the game."
The second-year coach also decided to go for it on fourth down a couple of times in big spots.
After freshman kicker Cam Little missed a 53-yard field goal early in the second quarter, Pittman passed up a more likely shot at three points when he went for it on fourth-and-1 from the 18.
Raheim “Rocket” Sanders took the handoff and looked like he might have gotten the first down on a second effort, but he was ultimately ruled short for a turnover on downs.
Later in the game, closer to the spot where Little missed, the Razorbacks went for it on fourth-and-3 from the 30. Jefferson kept the ball this time and gained just one yard for another turnover on downs.
“They reviewed the one with Rocket, the short one, and I guess figured out it was a chain length, no difference there,” Pittman said. “Then we didn't pitch the ball on the fourth and 4.”
The second of those stops ended up being the knock-out punch by the Tigers. At the time, they led just 21-17. Immediately following the fourth-down stop, though, Auburn dialed up a deep ball and Bo Nix hit Demetris Robertson for a 71-yard touchdown.
“A lot of times when a big play happens on defense, the opposite offense tries to do exactly what Auburn did,” Pittman said. “You and me, our players and everybody in the stands, it took a lot out of us to not make the fourth and then turn around and give up a 71-yard pass.”
Those decisions and plays were a huge part in Arkansas’ loss. Here are a few other notes and tidbits from Saturday…
Fumble, No Fumble
As is tradition for the Arkansas-Auburn series, there was a controversial call that went Auburn’s way and stood upon video review early in the game.
Facing a third-and-one, the Tigers handed the ball off to Jarquez Hunter and he was met in the backfield by defensive end Jashaud Stewart, who wrapped him up and threw him back.
Hunter was stopped short of the line to gain and lost the football as Stewart threw him to the ground. The Razorbacks fell on it for an apparent fumble recovery that would have given their offense the ball in the red zone.
Instead, officials ruled that Hunter’s forward progress had been stopped prior to him losing control of the ball. Pittman compared it to a fumble Arkansas lost against Ole Miss, when he through Sanders’ forward progress had been stopped, as well.
“It was said that they had picked the ball carrier up and that meant that the ball now could’t be a fumble, so I don’t know,” Pittman said. “Last week I thought Rocket was stopped whenever they pulled the ball out of there, but maybe not. I don’t know.”
